Hiking with Hoodoos: New Mexico’s Tent Rocks

“Is it any wonder that the Cochiti people believe Tent Rocks is a living landscape, as their mere presence changes by the moment based on the trajectory of the sun, the angularity of light and shadows, variabilities in weather conditions, or the demeanor of clouds passing overhead.”

– panethos.wordpress.com

We had our first opportunity to visit magical Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument located between Albuquerque and Santa Fe on April 16. It is hard to describe the surreal beauty of this national monument that includes a magnificent slot canyon, tent-shaped rock formations that are jaw-dropping in their multi-faceted geological history, and other spectacular natural features dotting this post-volcanic landscape.

The national monument is situated within the Cochiti Pueblo.

“For the Pueblo de Cochiti, Kasha-Katuwe is a living cultural landscape. The cliffs, mesas, and canyons are connected to oral histories, traditional teachings, and long-standing relationships between the people and the land. These places have served as areas for travel, observation, learning, and spiritual reflection across generations. Respect for the land is central to Pueblo values, and care for Kasha-Katuwe reflects responsibilities passed down through families and community leadership.” – Cochiti.org

Due to the rare and delicate geological structure of the formations, as well as their spiritual importance to the Cochiti people, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument has a limited operating schedule that requires prior reservations and prepaid fees for visitors to traverse these amazing formations.

A national recreation trail leads both hikers and sightseers through a meandering slot canyon and up a steep incline past the tapered hoodoos to a mesa summit. A second trail passes a once-occupied shelter cave and a gathering of hoodoos that resemble a quiet campground amongst the juniper trees or Native American teepee village from afar. A separate scenic overlook is located at the northwest corner of the monument.

Throughout this post are a series of photographs that depict the amazing beauty of Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.

Peace!

Yesterday we hiked the red rock slot canyon at Walatowa (Jemez Pueblo). It's a very short, easy hike with a substantial permit fee ($13/ea) but it's beautiful, definitely worth seeing.

#hiking #NewMexico #SlotCanyon

Antelope Canyon, Arizona, is what silence looks like in color.

#antelopescanyon #arizona #usa #slotcanyon #travel

Around the bend.

#SilentSunday #photography #LandscapePhotography #slotcanyon

Slot Canyon Walls” — Soft light penetrates the depths of a slot canyon.

The material making up the walls of Southwest slot canyons varies quite a bit depending on which strata the canyon traverses. Sometimes the rock can be broken and somewhat unattractive, sometimes it can hold fossils or show joints between different layers. But in some places the sandstone seems pristine — solid layers of rock broken only by small details and textures. That was the case here, at a spot where a canyon junction allowed in a bit of extra light…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/01/05/slot-canyon-walls-2/

#utah #slotcanyon #landscape #nature #landscapephotography #photo #photography

Adventure 2022: Death Valley, Day 2, Sidewinder Canyon (March 14)

https://dashausvonruh.com/2025/10/12/adventure-2022-death-valley-day-2-sidewinder-canyon-march-14/

#california #deathvalley #slotcanyon #photography